Improvement in machinery for smoothing tobacco-leaves



G. W. MACON. Dressing Tobacco.

- No. 4,458. Patented Apri|I 8,"18-46;"

N4 PETERS. Pmxw hngnpher Waihlngion n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEO. WV. MACON, OF LOUISBURG, NORTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHlNERY FOR SMOOTHING TOBACCO-LEAVES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. Gno. W. MACON, of Louisburg, in the county ofFranklin and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Machinery for Straightening Tobacco; and I doherebydecla-re that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the principle or character thereof which distinguishes itfrom all other machines, apparatus, or things before known, and of themanner of making, constructing, and using the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is an isometrical view; Fig. 2, a topview; Fig. 3, asection of working parts.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

Several devices have been essayed for straightening the leaves oftobacco; but they have all had a tendency to tear and injure the leaves,and are ineffectual in straightening them. WVhen rollers were used witha platform between them, or guides stationary at the sides, the leaf wastorn and very imperfectly straightened, and the common practice now isto do this work by hand. By my improvements all these difficulties havebeen obposite to them on a parallel shaft, e. The smooth wheels 0 and dare all covered with leather or other similar substance, and the spacebetween them is sufficient to pass the hand of tobacco through. On bothsides of each pair of smooth wheels 0 and d is placed a pair of uprightrollers, h, all of which have their bearings in and are attached toguidepieces 2', which are boards set onedge, and compose the sides of asort of trough or guiding-chute, of which the rollers above named formthe termination at the wheels. These guides i are jointed at the endfarthest from the rollers, so as to allow the rollers a lateral motion,by which they can be brought up closer to the wheels by means of wedgesis behind them, which are driven in between a post, Z, attached to theframe a, and the side piece, t. The guides for receiving and deliveringthe leaves are alike, and by means of them and the wheels above andbelow the process of straightening the leaves is accomplished withoutinjury to them. The upper shaft, e, is weighted down by levers m andweights n, bearing on these journals in, the usual way of weightedshafts.

Having thus fully described my improvements, what I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A series of wheels having adjustable guides and rollers between them,constructed, arranged, and combined in the manner and for the purposeherein set forth.

GEO. W. MACON.

\Vitnesses: 1

J NO. G. KING, R0131. J. SHAW.

